Also Served: Austin Grogan - Austin GROGAN
Bond Street, Prescot Private 793, 5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment Austin Grogan was 17 years old when he attested to the newly formed Territorial Army on 8th October 1908, joining the 5th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment at Warrington for a period of 6 years. He stated that he was a Labourer. His mother, Mary Jane Grogan of Bond Street, Prescot, was his next of kin and he further recorded that he had two brothers, James and John, and no less than seven sisters; Mary, Celia, Agnes, Margaret, Nellie, Annie and Ester
He undertook his annual training each year with the Battalion and then in July 1917 he extended his service by another four years. This meant that when war broke out less than a month later, he was immediately embodied to full service with the regiment. He was initially posted to the 3rd Battalion of the regiment but transferred to the 2nd Battalion in September 1914. On 15th of that month, he sailed for France.
Austin was listed in the Prescot Reporter list of Roman Catholic men serving with the colours in 1915.
His service was the army was full of minor charges, such as absence from parade, using obscene language to an NCI, etc., but finally in November 1915 he went before a Field General Court Martial, charged with “Disobeying a lawful command given by his Superior Officer”. He was found Guilty and sentenced to two years Hard Labour imprisonment, followed by discharge from the army. It’s not clear if he served this time, as he was discharged from the army in June 1916, giving a Rochdale address.
Austin was entitled to the 1914 Star, British War medal and Victory Medal.
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